


Found Out

by Hyx_Sydin



Series: Trope Bingo [10]
Category: Eureka (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Locked In, M/M, Post-Slash, post-Episode: s04e01 Founder's day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-08-01
Packaged: 2018-12-09 17:32:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11673828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyx_Sydin/pseuds/Hyx_Sydin
Summary: The people of Eureka are fed up with being tormented by Nathan Stark because Jack Carter broke his heart.





	Found Out

**Author's Note:**

> Written for:  
> 1) Round 21 of Small Fandom Fest on [LJ](http://smallfandomfest.livejournal.com/) | on [DW](http://smallfandomfest.dreamwidth.org/) for the prompt: _Eureka, Jack/Nathan, I can't believe they actually locked us in a closet, trying to force us to work it out!_
> 
> 2) The _Locked In_ square of my [Trope Bingo Round 9](https://trope-bingo.dreamwidth.org/203194.html) card.

“I can't believe they actually locked us in a closet, trying to force us to work it out!”

Jack paced to the far wall of the surprisingly large and well lit storage closet and stared at a glass jar thing. There were no other doors besides the one they'd been shoved through and the openings into the ventilation shafts were too small for either man to fit through. This was the last place he wanted to be, especially given who his companion was.

He didn't need to turn around to know that Stark had not moved since he'd failed to hack the door open; seated cross-legged on the floor, head tilted back, his eyes closed and fisted hands resting on his thighs. 

Jack couldn't blame the employees of GD for wanting to fix things between their boss and the town's Sheriff, especially since the other man was behaving like a bear with toothache. He just wished he wasn't the cause, and apparent solution to the problem. It's not like he'd had a choice in the matter, none of them had chosen to travel into a different... life after the Founder's Day trip to the past.

Jack sighed as he rested his hands on his hips and stared down at the ground. If only Kevin hadn't fiddled with that time bridge device thing he'd be in his own time where Stark was dead and Allison was warming up to the idea of a relationship with him. Not that he wanted Stark dead, he still carried the guilt of his death even though he wasn’t dead here.

He shouldn’t be here, here where Stark hadn't died resyncing time, hadn't almost married Allison for a second time, hadn't fathered Jenna. Not here where Stark had pursued _him_ , where _he_ had actually fallen for the scientist, where _they_ had been living together for almost a year in the bunker.

**Flashback**

**Jack rushes into Town, wanting to find Allison as quickly as possible and finish the kiss they had started in the past. His grin at finally finding her slips when a familiar voice calls his name, and then strong arms wrap around him from behind and pull him back into a very male body.**

**He has a perfect view of Allison’s face and the emotions which flit across it are a mixture of happy, confused and angry before she schools it into a pleasant smile and steps forward. "Nathan?"**

**"Hey Ali." The other man says, pausing his nuzzling of Jack. "Did you help Jack with his costume, it looks pretty authentic?"**

**Jack hasn't moved a muscle and he doesn't understand how Stark hasn't picked up on it yet. But then the others arrive and Fargo distracts the scientist with his happiness at seeing the other man long enough for Jack to disentangle himself, and Henry to confirm that this present was a different one from before they'd gone to the past.**

**It hurts Jack's head just thinking about it and he leaves trying to find a way back to their own time to the others. Instead he plans his escape from Stark to the bunker.**

Except that when he'd gotten there it was obvious that he had been sharing it with someone. Jack had wanted to move out after the 'break up' but Stark had insisted that the bunker was his and had returned to the house he'd previously occupied. 

Stark had eventually noticed a difference in Jack’s behaviour, and his obvious hurt had been almost too much for him to handle. But what was he supposed to do, he didn't know Stark in that way and he could only pretend so much. What had made it more difficult was how much he had enjoyed living with Stark, enjoyed having an actual person to come home to, to have supper with. He had enjoyed being loved.

Asking for space had been both a mistake and the right to do. Jack didn't love Stark, couldn't keep pretending that he did, but he cared enough to hate breaking the man's heart. And though he'd hoped Allison would stop avoiding him he understood her reasons; the man she loved was alive but not in love with her and the daughter she had cherished as for being a part of the man she had lost no longer existed.

"I know you're not my Jack." Stark's voice from so near surprised him and he whirled about to find that the other man was leaning against a nearby shelf. "I hacked S.A.R.A.H."

Jack’s jaw snapped closed and he pressed his lips together, he would neither confirm nor deny anything. He had to protect the others, although he wouldn't mind if the DoD sanctioned Grant.

“How did you do it though?” Stark mused aloud. “It must have been an accident… probably Fargo’s fault.”

Jack snorted despite his panic. Did Stark know about the others? And would he report them? Without Fargo, Henry and Allison he would probably be named Director again, would he want that though? One of the things that had surprised him about Stark was how open he was with Jack; willingly telling him about his day, explaining his department’s latest discoveries in a way that Jack could follow, speaking about how happy he was to have just the one department and its people to manage.

After Stark had moved out and gone back to being his sarcastic unfun self, people had come up to Jack and begged him to fix things between them. Would Stark go back to his tyrannical ways without Jack in his life? Jack still found it hard to believe that he could have had such a profound effect on the other man but maybe this time’s original Jack was different, the way the original Fargo obviously was.

“- get him back!”

Jack flinched back from the man’s anger. “What?”

Nathan stepped closer, shoulders tensed as he asked. “How do I get him back?” 

“You uhh… you can’t.” Jack felt bad for Stark, Nathan, because he knew how much he’d loved his Jack, had felt it every moment they had spent together. It made his heart ache in want.

“There has to be a way.”

The words were out of Jack’s mouth before he realised. “Even if the machine hadn’t caught on fire, the window is closed. It’s too late and we’re stuck here.”

Nathan’s head whipped up to stare at him. “We?”

“Uhh…” Jack raised his hands in a placating manner and backed up.

“Who else?” Jack had the feeling Nathan wasn’t actually asking him, so he didn’t attempt an answer. “Who else has been acting unlike themselves?”

The door chose that moment to swish open to show Henry crouched at its controls and Jack could kiss the other man for the save, but there were more important things to worry about. He had to warn them that Stark knew.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm hoping to one day continue this because they deserve a happy ending. They would have had it in this story but a migraine derailed that plan. It is also the reason I didn't write my third fic for the fest :(
> 
>  
> 
> I haven't actually read through it so please point out any mistakes, and I seem to be struggling with titles...
> 
> Feedback is always welcome, and thanks for the read! ♥


End file.
